Destiny Rules

Part 23

Lindsey was warming up his fingers, strumming his guitar quietly, walking back and forth across the stage. Some of the band members were there too, but Stevie was nowhere to be seen. She still had about half an hour before the rehearsal was set to start, so she was likely not coming for another 45 minutes. All he could think about the past few days was her and the night they spent together. He played with his eyes now closed, imagining their first real show and the roaring crowd before him. He pictured the band all in their places and Stevie coming out to thunderous applause, her glancing at him with a smile on her face, when she walked past him to center stage. And he wasn't at all bitter about it, not anymore. He was proud of her, she deserved it. 

What about them? What did it mean for them? If anything at all. They clearly still had feelings for each other and there was nothing actually stopping them. Except for their past. They'd already tried and failed and it hurt. Why would they want to put themselves through this again? Maybe this time they could make it work. And if not? They go their separate ways like they'd done it before? He wouldn't survive losing her again. 

Lindsey was startled by a pair of hands on his shoulders. He abruptly stopped playing and opened his eyes, he turned around to find Stevie, smiling up at him. 

"Am I really that scary?" Stevie joked.

"No, I just wasn't expecting you here so early." Lindsey pushed his guitar out of the way and gave her a hug, fighting the urge to kiss her. He caught a glimpse of Sharon with the corner of his eyes and took a step back. "Nice, uh, to see you." 

Stevie chuckled lightly, nodding her head. "Yeah, nice to see you too." She echoed, finding the moment absolutely absurd. "So, how are you?"

"Good." Lindsey nodded. "Really good. You?"

"Wonderful." Stevie replied, her hands clasped in front of her, afraid that otherwise they'd be all over him. "I heard you playing and just wanted to come, say hi. I'll put my things away and be right back."

"Okay." Lindsey said.

Stevie lingered for a moment longer before it got a bit awkward and she turned to leave. Lindsey watched her walk away, wondering if her hips swayed a little more than usual for his benefit. 

Of course Sharon followed Stevie to her temporary dressing room. The two women were silent as they walked down the long corridor. Stevie wasn't planning on saying anything at all and Sharon didn't want anyone to overhear. As soon as they were behind closed doors, Stevie sighed and faced her friend, who had her arms crossed over her chest, eyebrow raised.

"You had sex." Sharon didn't even consider easing into it. 

"I might have." Stevie shrugged, now mirroring Sharon's stance. 

"No no." The brunette shook her head and pointed in the same direction they'd just come from. "You had sex with Lindsey." Stevie's lips were sealed. "Say something!"

"What do you want me to say!" Stevie exclaimed. "Do you want me to lie to you and say that I didn't? Well, I did! And it was the best sex I have ever had." Sharon was taken aback slightly, Stevie wasn't usually that much into details. "If you're about to lecture me, save your breath."

"I'm- I'm not going to lecture you." Sharon said, her demeanor changed, she softened a little. "I just don't want you to get hurt. The tour hasn't even started yet and if you two-"

"Why do you automatically assume that we're going to fuck it up?" Stevie asked, folding her arms again. "Do you honestly believe that we're that hopeless?"

"Well, no." Sharon shrugged. Friends or not, maybe she should have left it alone. "But given your history..."

"I know all about our history." Stevie held up a hand, indicating that they did not need to get into it. "Believe it or not, things feel different this time. They are different."

"Okay, but-" Sharon paused, taking a step closer, she lowered her voice. "Are you sure it's the right thing to do now? Dive right in after you've just broke up with Jimmy? Don't you think you should take some time? ...Heal?" She added a little hesitant.

"Heal from what? Jimmy and I were never going to have a fairytale ending." Stevie shrugged, shaking her head. "Lindsey is exactly what I need right now."

Sharon considered her words for a second. "Don't take this the wrong way, I will always be your friend, but-" She began, laying a hand on her heart. "You saying that, it sounds like you're using Lindsey."

"Excuse me?" Stevie's eyebrows shot up.

"I asked you not to-"

"This is not your place, Sharon." Stevie cut in.

"You can get mad at me, fine, but all I'm saying is that as soon as Lindsey came back into your life, you were dead set on dragging him into your bed." Seeing Stevie open her mouth to argue, Sharon rushed to continue. "You can call it different, you can call it love and maybe it is, but just don't promise anything you're not ready to be for him. And I am telling you all this as your friend, but he's human, he has feelings too. He's obviously still in love with you, so just be sure yourself what it is that you want first. Love and lust are not the same thing."

Stevie was speechless. She didn't understand what it was that she'd apparently already done to make Sharon think that she was using Lindsey. That was not her intention, she had not promised him anything. She had actually already warned him that she couldn't and wouldn't.

Sharon returned first. Lindsey didn't think anything was wrong, he'd never been able to read that woman. Then Stevie came back and his face instantly lit up, but she ignored him as she made her way to her microphone stand - a complete 180 from 20 minutes ago or so.

Suddenly, he had a bad feeling.